diff --git a/python/GafferArnoldUI/ArnoldShaderUI.py b/python/GafferArnoldUI/ArnoldShaderUI.py
index 31391ad9234..739a8da37d0 100644
--- a/python/GafferArnoldUI/ArnoldShaderUI.py
+++ b/python/GafferArnoldUI/ArnoldShaderUI.py
@@ -283,8 +283,9 @@ def __translateNodeMetadata( nodeEntry ) :
 			userDefault = __aiMetadataGetStr( nodeEntry, paramName, "gaffer.userDefault" )
 
 		if userDefault:
-			__metadata[paramPath]["userDefault"] = userDefault
-			
+			nodeName, _, plugName = paramPath.split( "." )
+			Gaffer.Metadata.registerValue( "ai:surface:%s:%s" % ( nodeName, plugName ), "userDefault", userDefault )
+
 
 with IECoreArnold.UniverseBlock( writable = False ) :
 
diff --git a/python/GafferArnoldUITest/ArnoldShaderUITest.py b/python/GafferArnoldUITest/ArnoldShaderUITest.py
index c2704c88dca..5b079951a18 100644
--- a/python/GafferArnoldUITest/ArnoldShaderUITest.py
+++ b/python/GafferArnoldUITest/ArnoldShaderUITest.py
@@ -189,7 +189,16 @@ def testUserDefaultMetadata( self ) :
 		self.assertEqual( parms["uvcoords"].value, imath.V2f( 12, 13 ) )
 		self.assertEqual( parms["filename"].value, "overrideUserDefault" )
 		self.assertEqual( parms["filter"].value, "bilinear" )
-		
+
+	def testBaseClassMetadataLookup( self ) :
+
+		surface = GafferArnold.ArnoldShader()
+		surface.loadShader( "standard_surface" )
+
+		# Make sure that metadata registration based on mechanism in GafferScene.ShaderUI works
+		Gaffer.Metadata.registerValue( "ai:surface:standard_surface:aov_id1", "userDefault", "id_1" )
+
+		self.assertEqual( Gaffer.Metadata.value( surface["parameters"]["aov_id1"], "userDefault" ), "id_1" )
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
 	unittest.main()